Biodiversity: In-situ and Ex-situ

methods of Conservation,
Difference between Wildlife
sanctuary and National Park
 What is biodiversity?
• number and variety of plants and animals
present in a enviroment.
What is biodiversity conservaion?
• Protect the number and variety of plants and
animals in the environment or in the other
words to conserve the animals and plants in or
out of their natural enviroment.
Methods of biodiversity conservation
• Which one of the following is not a site for in-
situ method of conservation of flora? (CSAT
2011)
(a.) Biosphere Reserve
(b.) Botanical Garden
(c.) National Park
(d.) Wildlife Sanctuary
Difference between a national park, wildlife Sanctuary, and a
biosphere reserve
• National Park: No human activity or settlement allowed.
Villagers cannot graze their animals, Extremely strict rules
about jungle produce collection (Tendu leaves, Honey etc.)

• Wildlife Sanctuary : People are not allowed to live (some

exceptions though) but some human activities are allowed,
such as grazing, firewood collection.

Tourism is permitted.

A Sanctuary can be upgraded as a National Park. However a

National Park cannot be downgraded as a Sanctuary.

• Biosphere reserve: People are allowed to live, own private land

and carry on their traditional activities. (In the outer-zone)
Ex-Situ biodiversity conservation (artificial home)

Seed Banks
• They store seeds at extremely low temperature and humidity.
• Advantage: can save large variety of plant species in a very small
space.

Seed Banks : Problems

• every seed has an expiry date, you cannot store it for an indefinite
time. So every once in a while, you have to take out the seeds,
germinate them and get new seeds and store them again.
• Multinational companies such as Monasoto have excellent
infrastructure for these activities, but they care for storing the seeds
of commercially viable species only. Ex. Wheat, maize, rice, potato,
brinjal etc. for doing research and development on them, and create
new hybrid varieties.
• They have no interest in protecting some unknown grass or fruit of
jungle on the verge of extinction, this duty falls on the (inefficient)
government agencies.
 Ex-Situ biodiversity conservation (artificial home) Cont..
Zoos :
• You can bring some endangered species in zoo, try to breed them, and reintroduce
their offsprings in the jungle. (done in case of pandas, orangutans etc.)

CENTRAL ZOO AUTHORITY of India :

• Enforces minimum standards and norms for upkeep and health care of animals in
Indian Zoos
• Restrains mushrooming of unplanned and ill-conceived Zoos that were cropping up
as adjuncts to public parks, industrial complexes and waysides.

Zoo Problems:
• Not all species can breed in captivity. Life expectancy of Caged Ex-situ animal is less
compared to its in-situ cousin.
• Offsprings born in captivity, have problems in adjusting and surviving in jungles.
• Tiger cub born in zoo, feeding on readymade meat, living in a small area, cannot
easily survive in a jungle. It doesn’t know how to efficiently move in a jungle and
hunt animals.
• Zoos require huge land, lot of funds, trained personnel.
• Zoos concentrate on protection and breeding of big and popular species such as
Tiger, Panda, orangutans, etc. as it brings more public support and funds.
• But small and unknown species such as frogs and birds get neglected.
 Group Discussion……..
• You are the superintendent of Kankaria Zoo, Ahmedabad. Recently you have
received funds from an international charity organisation to purchase animals.

• Your Subordinate staff has given you a suggestion→

There is a sharp decline in number of zoo visitors, we hardly get any money from
ticket sales and mostly relying on Government funds (just like AirIndia) so Better
purchase popular animals. Currently Panda and Tigress are hot favorite among kids
after the movie “Kung Fu Panda #2”. Kids will beg their parents to visit our zoo every
weekend, we will also sell stuffed toys and souvenirs of those animals for extra-
income.

• Verbal instruction from Environment Minister→

Buy a pair of African Lions because it is our party’s election symbol. In return I’ll see
to it that your zoo gets more fund allocations in next year’s budget.

• Demand by Local Civil Society and NGO lobby→

Buy certain small frogs, birds and snakes from Brazilian Rainforest, because they’re
on verge of extinction, they cannot survive in the natural habitat given the tree-
cutting and pollution and must be protected in an Ex-situ habitat. They’ll require
less space and expenditure than typical big animal such as Lion or Panda.
What will be your decision as the zoo
superintendent?
1. Buy Panda and Tigress , to bring more of visitors
and earn more ticket revenue.
2. African Lion, the election symbol of ruling party
to get more funds in next budget.
3. Those Small frogs, birds and snakes, on the verge
of Extinction.
4. No purchase, return the money back to that
Charity org.
Thanks
 MCQ
• Which of the following is true about Indian
and African Elephants
• A. For African Elephants: Only males have
tusks but females don’t.
• B. For Indian Elephants: Only females have
tusks but males don’t.
 Ex-situ Conservation
Botanical Gardens
• for example, BOTANIC GARDEN OF THE
INDIAN REPUBLIC (BGIR), NOIDA has been set
up to facilitate ex situ conservation and
propagation of rare and threatened
indigenous plants of the country
• Problem: area and funds :
• They do not get as much media attention,
public support and charity like the zoos
 which of the following statements are true?
1. Ex-situ is the most convenient and effective
method for saving big animals.
2. Central Zoo authority looks after the matters
related to prevention of cruelty to animals.
3. Human activities are allowed in National parks but
not in wild-life sanctuaries.
4. India has more National parks compared to Wild-
life sanctuaries.
5. Wild Ass is only found in:
Ranthambhor, Rajasthan.
6. Bactrian camel (Two Humped Camel) is a native to
Central America.
7. Aquarium is an example of In-situ method of
biodiversity conservation.
• India is having a network of 665 Protected Areas,
which includes 104 National Parks, 514 Wildlife
Sanctuaries, 43 Conservation Reserves and 4
Community Reserves. Around 543 sanctuaries are
there in India today.
• Bactrian camel. The Bactrian camel (Camelus
bactrianus) is a large, even-toed ungulate native
to the steppes of Central Asia.
• Although in situ conservation is more encouraged
to be used for biodiversity conservation, ex situ
conservation is recommended as it complements
through different techniques like zoo, captive
breeding, aquarium, botanical garden, and gene
bank
 Which of the following statement is true?

• Biodiversity is high in isolated islands

• Biodiversity is low in tropical forests and coral
reefs.
• Biodiversity is higher in europe compared to
south asia.

Well, All statements are incorrect.

• Isolated islands have limited number of variety in
plants and animals compared to tropical rainforest or
coral reefs. Because number of competitors and
predators are limited.
• In the subtropical and polar regions of Northern
Hemisphere, the climate is very cold, the region had
gone through ice-ages = less population =less
competition =less predators =less evolution= less
biodiversity of plants and animals (compared to African
or Brazilian jungle)
• In general, you will find less variety in plant and animal
species in some European country (Ukraine) compared
to a tropical country like Vietnam.
• So, As you move from equator towards the poles,
biodiversity decreases. (latitudes)
 Talking about Europe, almost all plans eaten
today in Europe have originated in the
developing countries around the equator.

• Coffee: Ethiopia
• Rice: India
• Wheat: turkey and Afghanistan
• Soya, cucumber, orange: china
 Consider the following statements
(UPSC CSAT-2011)
1. Biodiversity is normally greater in the lower
latitudes as compared to the higher latitudes.
2. Along the mountain gradients, biodiversity is
normally greater in the lower altitudes as
compared to the higher altitudes.
Which of the statements given above is/are
correct?
(a.) 1 only
(b.) 2 only
(c.) Both 1 and 2
(d.) Neither 1 nor 2
1st statement is true. (europe vs africa).
2nd statement is true. Higher you go= colder atmosphere = less
biodiversity.
Thanks